BILLINGS — In November of 2023, Mark Webb of Billings was hit head-on by an uninsured driver as he was exiting his neighborhood.
Webb was left with almost $3,000 in damages to his vehicle, but almost two years later, he's yet to receive reimbursement for the car's damages.
Now, Webb is encouraging all drivers to add uninsured motorists coverage to their insurance plan.
See security footage and photos from the incident in the video below:
"It crushed the driver's fender. It busted the whole radiator support and everything. (It) made the vehicle undriveable," Webb said on Tuesday as he recounted the incident.
On Nov. 24, 2023, Webb was headed to work when an uninsured driver hit him off of Jackson Street on the South Side of Billings.
"He was turning in, and he failed to negotiate the turn. He turned right into the front of my vehicle," said Webb.
After the crash, Webb said he called the Billings Police Department, which issued the uninsured driver a citation. Webb said after exchanging information, the driver drove away from the scene, even though he had no insurance.
"The officers shouldn't have allowed him to leave the scene," said Webb.
The damages from the collision totaled $2,935.13, which included the labor and replacement parts. To receive restitution, Webb attended the driver's Billings Municipal Court hearing one month later in December of 2023.
Webb said the uninsured driver failed to appear in court, so the hearing was rescheduled for January of 2024. Webb noted that the driver did not appear at the second hearing, and the judge rescheduled for the second time.
Documentation provided to MTN revealed that the driver did not appear for the third scheduling hearing on March 21, 2024, and the judge sentenced the defendant to a $500 fine plus court surcharge, to surrender his license and registration, and to pay the estimated $2,935.13 in restitution charges.
As of Tuesday, Webb said he has yet to receive the restitution.
"He is still driving around in the same vehicle, same tags, with no insurance," said Webb.
MTN contacted local law enforcement about the procedures when a driver does not have insurance at a traffic stop. Lt. Samantha Puckett with the Billings Police Department confirmed that driving in Montana without auto insurance is illegal.
"If someone that is stopped on a traffic stop does not have insurance then that is a mandatory citation... After the traffic stop is completed and they are advised that it isn't legal to drive, we can't wait to see if they drive away. Most of the time the vehicle is moved into a parking lot before the officer leaves," Puckett wrote in a statement.
Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder stated the same, adding that law enforcement officers have the right to either issue a citation or a notice to appear in court.
"They'll get cited. They can be warned," he said. "The officer has the discretion to give 'em a warning or write 'em a notice to appear, or split it."
Webb is frustrated with the current law as he believes law enforcement should prevent uninsured drivers from driving away after a collision.
"You leave, you know, distress on family members. (They) have to take care of something that your insurance should've covered if getting into an accident," said Webb. "People think that driving is a right but driving's not a right. It's a privilege to everybody."
Webb is now encouraging all drivers to pay any additional fees in order to also have uninsured motorist coverage on one's insurance, considering his own predicament now two years without restitution.
"I would've had that on my vehicle, definitely... If you have full coverage insurance and your insurance company offers you uninsured insurance protection, I do recommend you carry it on your vehicle," he said.
To learn more about mandatory liability protection on Montana motor vehicles, see this link.
